Cothespin



1940- G. L. REENSTIERNA 2,227,106

CLOTHESPIN Filed Nov. 15, 1938 FTGI INVENTOR.

GUSTAF L REENSTIERNA. BY AM A TTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE j l I 2,227,105 j CLOTHES-,PIZN H v Gustaf L. Reenstierna, Union City, N. J .,assignor to Hoh'ite Laundry Pin Company, Wilmington,

Del.,acorporatiou I 1 v Application November 15, 1933, Serial No. 246,459

h 7 Claims. (cum-137)- My invention relates to an improvement in I Referring to the drawing it may be seen thatl clothespins and particularly to clothespins used in have provided the stationary jaws I and 2 formed hanging clothes and fabrics, etc. on a clothesline integral and preferably constructed of wood or to dry and bleach and has among its purposes and other suitable material connected together at 3 5 objects to provide: 1 near the top and extended upwardly to form the A means of supporting clothes and fabrics on' handle 4. which is preferably rounded at the top a line so that the article supported does not come end 5 and so reduced in thickness by the transverse in contact with the clothesline. j grooves 6 and 'I as to provide a somewhat cylindri- A means of hanging delicate fabrics and lacescal knob 8 for pulling the clothespin off ofthe to prevent damage to the fabric. clothesline 9 onto which it may be forced or 10 A clothespin which may be removed from the wedged. H I I clothesline in winter weather without removing Bel w the handle and at the crotch ID the joint the fabric from the clothespin. II is constructed and made extremely strong by A clothespin preventing the clothes or fabric the cylindrical depression or socket I2 which rer from being soiled by the clothesline. ceives the cylindrindical end I3 of the swinging A clothespin which tightly grips the fabric when jaw. I4 which is journaled in said socket I2. wedged on the clothesline and also grips the fabric Yieldingly holding the jaw I4; against the jaw 2 when not wedged upon the clothesline. isthespring or springs I5 and I 6. r

I accomplish these and other objects by the con- "The fabric I8 i'splaced between the jaws 2 and i struction herein described and shown in the ac- I4 by forcing the jaw I4 to swing away fromthe 5U companying drawing forming a part hereof in jaw 2 and when released will hold the fabric bewhich: 7 j tween'the jaws whichmay be provided with the Fig. 1 is an elevation. intermeshing serrated surfaces I9 and 20. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. I Thehairpin spring I5 maybe sprung between 0' Fig. 3 isa fragmentary detail of the joint. the jaws I and I4 and held in place by the ends N Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail of the swinging 2| and 22 engaging the depressions 23 and 24 in jaw. the jaws I and I4.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section at 5--5 Fig. 1. The coil spring I6 is concealed within the joint Similar reference characters refer to similar I I and lies in the spiral groove 26 a part of which parts throughout the several views of the drawing is in the stationary part at the bottom of the and in the specification to follow. socket I2 and the other part in the cylindrical head Clothespins and particularly the most common or end I3 of the jaw I4. The groove 26 terminatwooden clothespins that wedge the clothes on the ing at each end in the shoulder 22 in the swinging clothesline with the fabric jammed between the jaw I4 and shoulder 28 in the stationary part.

clothespin and line, have been found to be ex- The joint II is preferably provided with the rivet pensive and troublesome even though their initial or other means 29 which holds the end I3 from becost is little, due to the clothes being torn, soiled ing withdrawn from the socket I2.

from the dirt and soot on the line and also to The jaw I is preferably shorter than the jaw 2 being frozen onto the clothesline in the winter. and is provided with the inclined surface 30 which Ordinary clothespins also do not hold the clothes is suitable in size and shape to engage the clothesand particularly large pieces on the clothesline in line 9 which is forced against the back surface 3| windy weather. of the jaw I4, causing the fabric to be held more These and other objectionable characteristics firmly between the jaws 2 and I4 than when alone are overcome by my improvements and invention held by the springs or elastic band. The inclined 5 herein described and shown in one of its simple surface is so disposed in relation to the clothesforms. It will be obvious after a study of the line that the greater the weight or tension caused specification and drawing by those skilled in the by pulling on the fabric held between the jaws 2 art to which my invention pertains, that numerand I4, the greater the pressure on the back surous modifications may be made without departface SI of the jaw I4 and the tighter the clothesing from the underlying principles embodied in line is held or wedged in between the jaws I and 50 my invention. The size of the parts, the shape and the construction of the joint and spring are The back surface 3| may also be inclined and is some of the details of construction which may be so shaped as to make the placing of the clothesvaried in many respects to suit the many uses to pin over the clothesline an easy matter by being which my invention is adapted. rounded at a point 32 opposite the rounded end 55 1. In a clothespin, stationary jaws held in fixed relationship and joined at a crotch, and a swing: ing jaw positioned to grip clothes between one of its surfaces and one of said stationary jaws andto grip the clothes line between the other of its surfaces and the other stationary jaw said stationary jaws having a cylindrical depression at the crotch thereof and a cylindrical end on said swinging jaw engaging said depression to form a joint.

' 2. In a clothespin, stationary jaws held in fixed relationship and joined at a crotch having a cylindrical depression, and a swinging jaw positioned to grip clothes between one of its surfaces and one of said stationary jaws and to grip the clothesline between the other of its surfaces and the other stationary jaw, means yieldingly holding said swinging jaw to grip the clothes between one of said stationary jaws and a cylindrical end on said swinging jaw engaging said cylindrical depression to form a joint for said swinging jiaw.

3. In a clothespin, a pair of jaws and a movable jaw held between said pair of jaws and positioned to grip clothes between one of said pair of jaws and to grip and wedge the clothesline between the other of said pair of jaws said pair of jaws having an enlarged cylindrical recess at the point of juncture of said pair of jaws and an enlarged end on said movable jaw engaging said cylindrical recess to form a joint in which said movable jaw swings.

4. In a clothespin, a pair of jaws having a cylindrical recess forming a part of a joint and a movable jaw held between said pair of jaws and positioned to grip clothes between one of said pair of jaws and to grip and wedge the clothesline between the other of said pair of jaws whereby the clothes are gripped more firmly as tension is increased on said clothes said movable jaw having an enlarged cylindrical end engaging said cylindrical recess forming the other part of said joint.

5. In a clothespin, a pairof jaws and a movable jaw held between" said pair of jaws and positioned to grip clothes between one of said pair of jaws and to grip and wedge the clothesline between the other of said pair of jaws, said pair of jaws having a cylindrical socket at the crotchthereof and an enlarged cylindrical end on said movableijaw. engaging said socket holding and. swinginglyimounting said movable jaw in relationship to. said pair of jaws.

* 6. In a clothespin, a pair of stationary jaws joined at one end, thereby forming a crotch, having an enlargedcylindrioal depression adjacent said crotch, said depression having a spiral groove and springseat therein and a swinging jaw between said pair of jaws having an enlarged end engagingsaid depression and thereby forming a joint,said enlarged end having a spiral groove and spring seat in said enlarged end to conceal a spring between the parts of the joint and to force said swinging jaw'against o'neof said pairs 'of jaws.

7. In a clothespin, a pair of stationary jaws joined at one end, thereby forming a crotch, having an enlarged cylindrical depression adjacent said crotch, said depression having a spiral groove' andspring seat therein and a swinging jaw between said pair of jaws having an enlarged end engaging said depression and thereby forming a joint, said enlargedend having a spiral groove and spring seat in said enlarged end to conceal a spring between the parts of the joint andto force said swinging jaw against one of said pairs of jaws, a handle extension above said joint having transverse grooves to provide a cylindrical knob for pulling said clothespin from the clothesline.

GUSTAF L: REENSTIERNA. 

